ID cards scrap sparks debate

June 03, 2010, 9:34 PM GMT+0

Since the Coalition Government’s announcement last week that it will be scrapping the previous government’s ID cards proposals, the ‘ID Cards’ topic on TellYouGov has witnessed an increase in activity, with its high volume score belying a largely negative perception of the scheme.

Users, or ‘tyggers’, have jumped at the chance to tell us what they think about the Coalition’s decision. Many have lauded the cards’ scrapping as indicative of a reversal of the so-called ‘nanny state’ legislation many perceived as being introduced under the last government. One tygger commented on the subject, saying, ‘Hurray to the Coalition for scrapping ID cards!’, while another said ‘fingers crossed for getting rid of them... roll back the nanny state! I want my freedom back!’ Another angrily commented that the card scheme was ‘expensive and needless and just another way of keeping tabs on citizens - not the panacea they're billed as’. Many tyggers simply called them ‘a waste of money’.

Not all sentiments were negative however, as some tyggers showed their support. One tygger argued that they are a ‘good idea and will reduce fraud’, another said that they would create a ‘simplified system to enable travel within the EU’. One especially irate tygger controversially wrote that ‘it would sort out the people who should not be here’, while another was considerably more relaxed, saying ‘if you are honest, why worry?’ However, those in favour of the scheme, for whatever reason, were in a minority, as the vast majority highlighted the perceived ‘dangerous invasion of privacy’ and discussed the ‘pointless waste’ of such a scheme.

The ID cards had been one of Labour’s most controversial proposals, and an optional trial roll-out scheme was introduced in Manchester, with each card costing around £30 – a non-refundable cost now the scheme has been nixed.
It seems that even the scrapping of the scheme hasn’t dampened the debate.

Additional editing by Hannah Thompson

Have your say: The TellYouGov keyword for this topic is 'ID Cards'

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